June 20, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 04, 1428

COLOMBO, June 19: Three Sri Lankan batsmen are competing for the void created by the self-imposed absence of former captain and opening batsman Marvan Atapattu for the series against Bangladesh.

Thilan Samaraweera, Jehan Mubarak and Michael Vandort were all picked to represent the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team here on Tuesday in the three-day tour match with the visitors starting on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old Samaraweera who captains the A team averages 41 in Tests with five centuries. Mubarak, a 26-year-old left-handed opener, has been named vice captain and fellow left-hander Vandort has averaged 51 in six Tests.

All three were discarded after last summer's tour of England and a good showing in the three-day game should open up the chance for one of them to complete the squad of 15 named for the three Tests starting next week.

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene said he was disappointed by Atapattu's decision to opt out of the series. But it would open up a chance for a younger player to make an impression.

The first of the three Tests starts on June 25. Sri Lanka have so far made a clean sweep winning all seven Tests played between the two countries previously.—AFP